Home and LOVING it!

Gage and I arrived home in the late afternoon of the 29th of June. Since then, we hit the ground running and have been enjoying and taking in our time at home ever since.  We have had the pleasure of attending 2 reunions and started the "cleaning/dejunking process" of our house.  This includes weeding garden and flower beds, staining fences and decks, ranch work and visiting with family.  It finally feels like summer!  The kids might think they have been admitted to a work camp, as there is a lot more for them to do, but our new motto is, "work hard play hard."

Gage is doing great.  I will be taking Gage, Sierra and Lindsey to California next week for biopsies and appointments.  It has been really nice having a couple weeks to have a break from biopsies, clinic and blood draws.  We are taking each day in deeply.  Always walking tentatively not knowing how long this will last.  I have enjoyed watching sunsets, being able to see the stars at night and the good feeling  being home all together.

So far, we have thrown out 7 bags of "stuff" from 2 bedrooms and one bathroom.  We still have a lot further to go, but it is great to be home where we can do that. We are slowly making our house feel lived in again, inside and out! Tomorrow, the 5 kids and I are heading to Boise for appointments.  Sierra, Gage and possibly Megan will check in with our pediatric cardiologist there.  Megan just for her annual echocardiogram.  We will then leave there and head to 4 orthodontist appointments.  It should be a fun day.  Hope for some shopping somewhere in there as well.

Our first stop when we got home was to say "Hi" to dad at his office.

 Tour of Grandma Bingham's (Jason's mom) old stomping grounds. Then on to Bear Lake.

Next reunion, having fun hiking in the mountains near our house. 

 Enjoying some tin foil dinners in our fire pit in our yard.

The reward for a hard weeks labor.  Hiking in to a mountain lake and cliff jumping. 

 No, we did not let Gage jump from the high cliff.  He just jumped in from the rocks in the picture. 

 Today Gage was baptized.  We believe in baptizing at the age of 8.  He could never be baptized because of his VAD.  It bothered him a lot.  BUT, today he was finally able to be baptized.  It was a very special day and he was definitely ready.

My wonderful family who came to help with it all!!